The Broken Seal
by Michalyn
Summary: As guardian of Dragon Glen, Wufei spends his days at the mountain temple, watching over terrible demons who have been sealed within stone for their misdeeds. A violent lightning storm, however, brings him much more than he bargained for. 13x6x5
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Wufei, Treize or Zechs though I sorely wish I did. This is unbetaed for now, so please excuse any mistakes!.

The Broken Seal  
by Michalyn

Part One of Two

Rating: MA

Author's Note: I started writing this last month, hoping to finish it in time for May 13th (13x6x5 day) but the damned thing got so long that I just couldn't finish it in time. It's supposed to be a oneshot but because this part is already pretty long I decided to break the entire thing into two parts. These are my three favorite GW guys so this is a total piece of indulgence. I hope you enjoy my silliness.

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Summary: As guardian of Dragon Glen, Wufei spends his days at the mountain temple, watching over terrible demons sealed within stone for their misdeeds. The young mage performs his duties impeccably, until a violent lightning storm brings him much more trouble than he bargained for.

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From the temple mount, Blackmoor forest extended like a lush carpet far beyond the eye could reach. Wufei was so high up that even the tallest trees seemed like children's toys. A frigid wind rippled through the trees, making them sway and turning their leaves silver-green. The gust caught Wufei's crimson cloak with it, revealing the pale magist's robes beneath the heavy material. On his shoulder, his pet dragon, Nataku shifted restlessly, making a hissing noise. Wufei ran a soothing hand over her iridescent scales.

"You feel it too, don't you, little one?" he murmured as thunder clattered overhead and the air became sharp with the scent of imminent rain. For the past six nights Wufei had been unable to sleep, kept awake by an unnamable sense of unease. At best, it was a prickling of the senses, at worst, a heavy foreboding--a premonition of danger that had Wufei jostling the runes in his pocket for comfort. He had become temple guardian in his fifteenth winter and in the four winters since, Wufei had never felt anything like this. Should he send a warning to the village? No ... that would be pointless. What would he say? That they should lock up their houses because he had a bad feeling? They would think he had gone soft in the head from all the years spent up on the mountain.

Wufei sighed, stopping again between the two statues into which the ancient seals were carved. These stone sentinels were the reason for his peculiar existence; the reason that in every generation since his people could remember, the most gifted of their youth was sent to the mountain to watch over the statues and make sure the demons who were sealed inside never escaped again. Wufei had long ago accepted his duty, and with Nataku for company along with the occasional traveler or villager come to the mountain to bring him provisions, he didn't mind his solitary days much. In fact, he was even grateful for them at times. Only occasionally did he feel a twinge as he wondered what life might have been like had he been born a baker's son or a black-smith's apprentice, free to live and love as he chose. During those times, Wufei could not help yearning for a life more ordinary. Being the protector of his people came at a considerable price.

Wufei gazed into the sinister faces of the statues. Their lips were curled back in feral snarls and their stone fingers were sharpened claws. They were almost identical save for the armor each wore. A cape rested on the arm of the statue to the right in many-layered folds while in his other hand, the demon brandished a terrifying sword. Unlike his companion, the statue on the left, however, wore no cape. His tunic was short and he leaned forward on one bent leg, a sandaled foot propped on a large shield.

They were General Khushrenada and his Lieutenant. Legend had it that the demons were once powerful magist-warriors in the service of a great king. They were invincible, vanquishing the king's enemies and ensuring a reign of peace. Those gentle days were not to last forever, though. One winter, the two warriors were drawn into a trap by Septm, a dark lord who sought the throne. General Khushrenada and Lieutenant Merquise were cursed. Possessed, they turned against the very people they once protected, unleashing a bloody rampage on the countryside, the kind of which had never been seen before. For months they were unstoppable, laying waste every village they passed through. They arrived in Dragon Glen and Wufei's people also fell under their sword.

All seemed lost until finally after a desperate battle, a powerful young mage confronted them. Already injured from the fighting, he knew he could not completely defeat them. Their strength was much too great. Knowing, that their destructive power came from Loki, evil spirits, which had bound themselves to the General's and Lieutenant's souls, the mage cast a potent purification spell over the warriors, hoping to lure the evil spirits out and weaken the warriors' powers for a moment. In that shimmering instant when the Loki hovered above the warriors' souls, the young man scorched them with mage fire. The Loki were exorcised, but it was too late for the warriors. The evil spirits had been entwined with them for so long, that their souls were irrevocably affected. The mage knew that General Khushrenada and Lieutenant Merquise were no longer human. With the last of his energy, he sealed the demons in stone and had them carried far away from the village. From that moment on, he lived on the mountain, devoting his life to ensuring they would never break free again.

Thus, Wufei found himself, one in a line of hundreds of other guardians and he had no reason to doubt that another hundred guardians would follow him as well. A soft rain began to fall and lightning rent the clouds. Nataku fluttered her wings, and released a keening cry to the wind.

"Guess we better head back," Wufei said. He pulled on his hood and started to make his way back to his cottage. The rain beat down with increasing force and Wufei hurried, eager to get inside where it was warm and dry. With the usual temple spring cleaning for the fire festival just around the corner, he could not afford to catch cold.

Thunder clattered overhead and the rain pelted Wufei without mercy. He had just reached the temple gate when a powerful flash of lightning burned through the heavens. It was so bright, the sky turned white, blinding Wufei. In that instant, an incredible explosion rocked the ground, sending him tumbling down the temple stairs. Wufei gasped as his shoulder slammed against a column and the rune stones flew from his pocket. Nataku shrieked and flapped around him in alarm, her head gently butting Wufei as she tried to get him to stand up. _Damn it!_ Wufei groaned. His shoulder throbbed with hot pain. _What the hell was that?_

Steadying himself, Wufei tried to locate the source of the disturbance, but even as he limped to his feet, he could sense something was terribly wrong. The air vibrated with energy and rubble was scattered in every direction. Wufei's heart pounded as he bent to examine the crumbled stone.

"Ouch!" he hissed, dropping the fragment like a hot potato--and it was indeed that hot, its edges scorched and blackened. Wufei didn't want to believe it, but with every minute his dread grew worse. A lightning storm could do a lot of damage but lightning alone could not render magistically tempered stone into these lumps of coal. Worse, the heavy, almost stifling weight of the air was unmistakable: _Magic._ An incredible power had been released and Wufei knew of only thing for a thousand miles that could generate this kind of energy. And if what he was thinking was true...

Wufei whirled toward the statues and what he saw made his blood run cold. Lightning had blasted both of the seals and now power poured from the breached stone like water from a spring. The seal on the Lieutenant was partially intact but the General's seal was completely blown away. Wufei cursed and dropped to his knees, scrambling amongst the rubble for his rune stones. The General was the more powerful of the two. It would have been much better if the Lieutenant's seal had been broken and the General's stayed intact. If he escaped... No, Wufei did not want to think about that. He had to do something, and quickly.

Wufei burrowed beneath the dust and plaster and found one rune stone after another until he was missing just one. He searched and searched until his robes were heavy with mud and his fingers were bruised and tender but no matter how hard he looked, the final rune would not be found. Wufei rocked back on his heels, cursing in frustration. With the full set of stones he could concentrate his power to its greatest intensity. Without all five, he would only be operating at about 70. Normally, that would be more than enough to defeat any enemy, but this was no ordinary foe. Knowing he couldn't afford to waste another moment, Wufei had no choice but to abandon his search and try to repair the seal with whatever power he had before the demon was fully released.

Wufei braced himself and began summoning his strength to restore the seal. It was like pushing against a wall. The air shimmered and distorted as Wufei tried to staunch the deluge of power. He stumbled, perspiration dotting his brow and his shoulder burning as the demon power, eager to be completely released, resisted him. For a moment Wufei wondered if he could really control this himself. Should he call for help? But no, the village was five-days ride by horseback. By then it wouldn't matter what help he had rallied; the demon would have escaped and with no Loki to exorcise, who knew if the General could be sealed again. Besides, if Wufei could not restore the seals, no one could. It was the very reason he was temple guardian. Panting, Wufei chanted the words of an arcane binding spell as he focused all of his power on reconstructing the seal. He hoped to use the ancient spell to compensate for his weakened power and after a long struggle it seemed that he finally succeeded. The broken fragments of the statues rose and reassembled in their proper places, the myriad fissures in the stone glowing before fusing together again. The tension in the air diminished and winked out.

Wufei slumped to the ground, relieved and utterly drained from the effort it had taken to put things to rights again. As Nataku alighted on his shoulder, he petted her slender tail.

"I don't know about you, girl, but I'm more than ready to go home and see this day end."

Nataku's contented cry seemed to say she agreed.

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Wufei's cottage was nestled in a lush arbor not far from the mountain top. When he got inside, he lit the fire and set a pot over the flames to heat his bathwater. Before coming in, he had carried in water from the well and now a large wooden tub rested before the fireplace. He normally had dinner before his bath, but the muck encrusted onto the hems of his robes was too unpleasant to ignore. Wufei loosened his hair and stripping before the fire, he rolled his robes and cloak into a neat bundle to be washed on the morrow.

Wufei took the pot off the fire and set the bathwater to a comfortable temperature. He slipped into the tub, making a deep sound of satisfaction as the warm water enveloped him. Such a simple pleasure, but it felt wonderful after the day he'd spent. Wufei settled deeper into the tub, wincing a bit as the water stung his bruised shoulder and the little cuts across his knuckles from where he had scraped them searching for his rune stones. He had opened the window to let Nataku out to hunt her dinner and while Wufei surveyed the room, a gentle breeze blew in from outside, fragrant with the scent of rain and the night-blooming flowers.

The walls glowed in the firelight and Wufei's eyes traveled from the rough kitchen table with its sturdy chairs to the fresh rushes on the stone floor. The cottage consisted of three rooms. The front room and largest room served as kitchen and living room while overhead, connected by a short ladder, the alcove housed his bedroom and his study. All in all, it was a small space, but a cozy one. Everything he needed was right here. He had a herb garden for both recipes and spells, and behind the cottage was a small corral where he kept a temperamental she-goat named Betsy for milk and cheese. What more could he want? Wufei mused. _Companions_, a little voice in his head was quick to point out, but Wufei silenced it. He was perfectly happy as he was.

The scent of lavender and chamomile rose from the tub as Wufei washed himself. Humming a faint tune, he soaped his calves then lifted one leg to rub the rag between his toes. When he was done, Wufei rose from the tub and wrung the excess water from his hair. He was just reaching for his wiping cloth when the air next to him crackled with electricity. There was an incredible rushing sound, a gust of wind blasted into the room and before Wufei knew what was happening, something landed at his feet with enough force to cause the stone floor to reverberate.

Not something but _someone_... Wufei gasped as a large figure materialized in front of the tub.

The man standing before him was easily three heads taller than Wufei and twice as heavy. His broad shoulders were weighted by armor and a navy blue cloak which swept the floor. Wufei was startled to discover his golden breastplate inscribed with Old Verse, a form of writing that had not been used in Dragon Glen for hundreds of years. In fact, only mages and scholars knew it through their studies and even then, only very few were proficient. The words were a common protection charm, more symbolic than magical in their wish for their wearer's safe-keeping. If the power Wufei sensed emanating from the mysterious warrior was any indication though, then the intruder had no need of such a charm anyway.

It also meant that Wufei would be no match for him.

The knowledge was like a fist to the gut but denying it was pointless. Better to know the limits of his power than to have a deluded sense of his abilities. As it stood, he would most likely be hurt, but the latter would surely get him killed before he could warn his people. Wufei's thoughts raced as he struggled to devise some means of defending himself. The world seemed to contract to the pounding of his heart and the leaden weight of his body, unable to move from shock and fear. And all the while Wufei could not shake the feeling that he had seen the warrior's armor _somewhere_ before.

The intruder's tunic, of the same deep blue as his cloak, ended just above his knee to bare strong tanned legs and sandaled feet. The golden thongs of his sandals glittered and the reddish hairs on his powerful calves caught the firelight as he dropped to one knee. The sudden movement startled Wufei; he braced himself for the worst, knowing that running would be useless. The fluttering of the intruder's tunic alone as he lowered himself to the floor had caused the air to shimmer. No, there would be no getting far enough away from this opponent. He would be upon Wufei before he even reached the door. He might as well save all his energy for the inevitable bloody confrontation, Wufei thought, steeling himself. He could only watch, every muscle taut with dread as the warrior leaned closer and closer until his lips were almost brushing Wufei's pubic hair. Wufei clenched his fists, wondering what this strange first move meant.

Lazy blue eyes perused Wufei's form and the intruder's nostrils flared delicately as if taking in his scent. "Well, that is certainly a pleasant sight to wake up to after a thousand years," he rumbled.

At first Wufei didn't think he'd heard correctly. Then blood rushed to his cheeks. Of all the depraved ... perverted—! If Wufei had doubted before, now he was sure he had some kind of evil presence before him. Scrambling out of the tub, he pulled the wiping cloth about his hips. Wufei's hands were trembling as he grabbed his runes from the table and braced himself in a fighting stance.

"Name yourself, Bastard!"

The man ran a lazy hand through his hair. "General Khushrenada," he drawled, advancing on Wufei. "And you must be the pretty little mageling who tried to seal me away."

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The words were like an icy hand around Wufei's heart. His his limbs were shaking and blood was pounding in his ears as he tried to process what the warrior was saying. There was no way. It wasn't ... couldn't be true.

"But ... but ... that's impossible," Wufei protested. "I just... sealed..."

But had he really? Wufei's voice died in his throat as he remembered how eagerly the flow of energy had pulsed from the broken seal and worse, how long it had taken him to find his rune stones before he could repair it. Even then he had only been able to use a portion of his power. When both were considered, it was more than possible--nay inevitable--that a being as powerful as the General would have escaped. It would explain the magic shifting around them even now in carefully controlled currents; it would also explain why the General's uniform looked so familiar. Wufei realized with a gasp that it was indeed identical to the one on the statue. Gods, it did not matter that he would be killed but he would die before warning his people about the bloody fate that awaited them and _that_ was unforgivable. He had failed as their guardian.

"I see you are beginning to understand," Khushrenada said as he studied Wufei's expression. "Actually the seal has been weakening for years, but you could say it was literally a stroke of luck that the storm hit when it did. Otherwise, I would be stuck in that damn stone coffin for ten more winters at least. It's been a long time since I've been in the human world and I must say I'm famished." The demon's laugh was husky as he continued to advance upon Wufei.

Wufei took the demon's mention of hunger to mean that now that the General had awakened, he was once again craving blood . "I may not be able to defeat you, but as guardian of this temple neither can I allow you to prey on the people of Dragon Glen. I will stake my life on it! I will do anything you ask if you promise not to harm them," Wufei ground out, even as it galled him to be pleading with this demon. Still, it was all that he had left. He did not expect any deal he struck with Khushrenada to be honored but he hoped it could buy him some time. For what, Wufei couldn't say; he only knew he had to try for his people's sake. "What is it that you want?" he asked. Perhaps we may reach some sort of agreement..."

"You wish to strike a bargain?" Khushrenada raised an eyebrow. He licked his lips, all but grinning now.

"Yes." Wufei squared his shoulders. He stood his ground, forcing himself to show as little of his panic as possible.

"And what would you have to barter with?"

Wufei took a deep breath. What he was about to offer was dangerous; so dangerous that the risk of it was outweighed only by the potential cost in human life if he did not try to persuade the demon. "I can offer you a Pyrgion talisman."

Though demons were fearsome, because they drew so much negative power from their surroundings, their bodies tended to be somewhat unstable as they lacked little balancing positive energy. It meant that once a demon became very powerful, if it expended beyond a certain threshold of energy it risked destroying its internal equilibrium and annihilating both itself and everything around it. Pyrgion talismans were used to stabilize that excess negative energy and allow the demon to focus its powers without risking destruction in much the same way that Wufei used his own rune stones to direct his powers. That was where the danger lay. Giving the talisman to the General would make him even stronger but because the Pyrgion stone absorbed some of the demon power in order to be effective, there was a small chance of binding the demon by destroying the talisman itself. Wufei held his breath, hoping that the General would take the bait.

Khushrenada made a dismissive gesture. "Come now, surely you don't expect me to be charmed by such baubles? No, you have something else that I am far more interested in."

"Wh...What?" Wufei gasped as Khushrenada's hand closed about his wrist. Even suppressed, the General's power was like a jolt of electricity over his skin. For a commoner, the sensation would have been painful, but for a mage whose very lifeblood was infused with magic it was like being licked by a thousand pleasurable flames. Wufei stumbled backward but the General's arm quickly encircled his waist, preventing him from falling. He moaned as more power flowed into him from that simple point of contact and his knees sagged. Wufei's head was spinning and he looked up to see Khushrenada gazing at him with molten eyes. The General touched a hand to Wufei's waist and the drying cloth he had secured about his hips disintegrated as if it had never been.

"Yes, you do have something _much_ more valuable to offer," Khushrenada purred, lifting Wufei into his arms.

Every instinct of Wufei's screamed for escape as he was hoisted into the air but with the net of the General's power cast about him, he was having difficulty breathing, much less moving. He was impossibly trapped and Wufei once again cursed the loss of his fifth rune. Determined, however, to put up whatever fight he could, he tried casting a repulsion spell but all that came out of his mouth was a helpless groan. The sound drew Khushrenada's attention and the demon bent forward, his face drawing closer and closer to Wufei's. Convinced that these moments were his last, Wufei made a final desperate attempt at escape. He closed his eyes and tried chanting the repulsion spell once more:

"Dragons of the west wind and spirits of the--"

"Damn it, Treize, I thought I told you not to start without me."

Wufei jerked as the husky, almost sulky voice sounded right next to his ear. If he had panicked before, now his heart was filled with terror. Th...that voice ... that power meant there were two of them. And if there were two of them it could only be because Merquise had also escaped his seal and both General and Lieutenant were now standing in his living room. Wufei stopped chanting. Why waste his breath? It was over.

Khushrenada sighed, turning them towards the origin of the complaint. "And was I supposed to wait while you dawdled, Zechs? You certainly took your time getting here."

"Not all of us are lucky enough to have lightning bolts come down from the heavens and free us in an instant. I had to work to get out of that damned statue, you know," the other demon grumbled, folding his arms across his muscular chest. His golden hair tumbled over his shoulders and as he spoke, he flicked the swath behind him, smoothing it with his fingers. His pale eyes fixed on Wufei and though the blond had not touched him, Wufei felt seared. Where the General was grace and power, the newcomer was raw intensity barely leashed. There was something wild about him; from the sensuous bow of his mouth to the lazy thrust of his hip as he studied Wufei. He was also somewhat taller than Khushrenada and broader of shoulder. He came to lean over Wufei, his scarlet tunic rustling against his powerful thighs.

"What a lovely catch we've made this time, haven't we, Treize?"

"Indeed, and it appears he wishes to strike a bargain with us."

"Is that so?" The blond made a rumbling sound deep in his throat. "By the way, don't you think you should tone down your power a bit? You're going to make him drunk like that."

"Hmm, you might be right." Treize peered at Wufei, perhaps seeing just how dazed he was feeling. Even Wufei was not sure how much of that was from the demon's magic and how much from panic. Nevertheless, he was startled to feel the power around him drop by slow degrees until it was little more than his own energy level. Wufei's eyes darted from one demon to the other, his body instinctively tensing for flight. Perhaps escape was possible after all.

"What is this bargain, you want to make?" Merquise asked him. "And does it involve that sweet body of yours?"

Wufei spluttered, his face growing hot as the blond perused his form. Even to his inexperienced eyes and ears, Merquise's look and his words were openly sexual. He heard the rumbles of agreement shared between the intruders and it was only then Wufei realized that contrary to the blood and destruction he had imagined, the kind of bargain Merquise was suggesting was also what Khushrenada had intended all along. Wufei was aghast. He needed no further confirmation of their depravity. Now more than ever he could not allow himself or his people to fall into their clutches, Wufei vowed. Visions of rapine tormented him as he imagined the demons descending on the village.

Ignoring Merquise's lascivious gaze, Wufei twisted out of Khushrenada's arms. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins as he hit the ground to hurl mage fire at them. Bluish light exploded from his palms and the cottage shook, shuddering so violently on its foundations that Wufei feared the windows would shatter. The heat alone from the blast was enough to scorch the door to a cinder. Smoke billowed, thick black plumes obscuring Wufei's vision so that he could no longer see his own hand braced for attack, much less the two demons.

Wufei waited. For a moment, he could not detect any demon magic and when it did return it was severely weakened. Could it be? Had he somehow managed to inflict serious damage to Khushrenada and Merquise? It was not completely unfathomable. Even missing his fifth rune, he'd put all the energy he could muster into the shot, and by normal standards his power was formidable. Hope swelled in Wufei's breast. It seemed he'd underestimated himself after all. Wufei sprang forward. He must finish them off while they were vulnerable.

"God damn it! What was that for?" Merquise coughed and wiped the soot off his shoulders.

Or maybe not...

The blond waved his hand and the shield-like barrier he'd erected in front of himself and Treize disappeared. It was obviously made to repel magic and Wufei's heart sank when it dawned on him that this was the reason the demon's powers had initially seemed muted. Even as Khushrenada emerged from the fog of smoke, Wufei could feel the power in the room rapidly returning to its previous levels.

"Treize, are you all right?" Merquise asked, still coughing.

"Nothing to worry about at all, Zechs, though this soot will be the devil to get out of my cloak."

"Ghastly stuff. I think you've got some in your hair too, Treize."

"Really? Where?"

"In the back. Come, let me help you with that..."

What had been fear within Wufei boiled to disbelief and then outrage as he watched the two demons pat and groom each other, setting their elaborate uniforms to rights. He lunged forward, an animal cry torn from his throat. He drew on his power and energy pulsed around his hands.

"Bastards! I will not stand for this game any more! I don't care if you're the most powerful demons in the universe. Fight me or get the hell out of my village!"

"Demons?" Merquise frowned. He seemed so puzzled, so truly offended that Wufei stopped dead in his tracks. "Treize didn't you explain it to him?"

"Ah ... I'm afraid I got somewhat distracted," the General offered, looking somewhat sheepish.

"Explain _what_ to me? Stop fucking around!" Wufei shouted.

"Oh," Zechs waved his hand. "We're not demons."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Remember I said something about this fic being two chapters? Well Treize, Wufei ans Zechs had some ideas of their own. I'm now up to three chapters. Hopefully the boys will be satisfied with that!

I don't own Wufei, Treize or Zechs though I sorely wish I did. Many thanks to Devil Chick for the beta.

The Broken Seal  
by Michalyn

Part Two of Three

Rating: M

Wufei's blood boiled. Not demons? Obviously they took him for a fool. If they were not evil, why the hell was his life dedicated to guarding them and preventing exactly the kind of situation they were in right now?

"You expect me to fall for that?" Wufei spat, raising his hands to strike.

"Actually, Zechs is speaking the truth." Khushrenada stepped forward, making a placating gesture.

As angry as he was, the movement did give Wufei pause since the demon had no reason to pander to Wufei, given his strength. Then again ...the deception and cunning of demons was also legend. This reasonable facade was no doubt part of an elaborate scheme to lure him into their cruel clutches. Wufei shook his head.

"Don't waste your breath with these lies. I'll say it again. Fight me or leave."

"My fiery little mage, as inspiring as that passion of yours is, you need to stop and think for a moment. In all the time we've been here have you once felt a stirring of black energy?"

"Of course I ha..." Wufei paused, frowning. It was true. Though the cottage all but vibrated with power, not a whiff of it resonated of anything sinister. How did he not notice it before? No... it couldn't be. He was succumbing to their lies again. Maybe they had found a way to conceal their negative energy. If any demons could do it, these two could. "No. You were responsible for hurting so many of our clan long ago. I know your misdeeds and even a thousand years could not erase them," Wufei ground out.

Khushrenada looked stricken, and beside him, Merquise turned his face toward the fire, his fists clenching at his sides. When neither spoke, it seemed that Wufei's words had disarmed them where all his previous attacks had failed. Finally Khushrenada met his eyes.

"It is true. Zechs and I did ravage your people once. That memory is agonizing to us even now, but I swear to you we are no longer the demons who entered Dragon Glen on that day. You have already tested the proof for yourself. Our power is untainted." The General raised his hand again when Wufei began to interrupt him. "Stop; think back on the legend. You are the temple guardian; I know you cannot have forgotten it. Tell me, how does it end?"

Wufei swallowed. "Just as the demons were about to attack, Luo Huan exorcised--"

"Yes, exactly right," Khushrenada interrupted. "The Loki were exorcised from our souls and after your clansman defeated us, he entombed us in stone, but it was not because we were evil was it?"

"But..." The power, which had been glowing steadily around Wufei's hand faded until it was extinguished. For some reason his heart was beating faster than ever before and he was frightened--more frightened than he had been when he discovered the demons in his cottage and imagined his own death. Something was slowly dawning on him and if what he suspected was true... Wufei gasped.

"You see, don't you? At that time, Zechs and I weren't banished because we were demons. The Loki had long been freed from our souls. But what do you do with two immortals more powerful than anyone else in the kingdom? You seal them up nice and tight of course. Not because they are evil, but because they are different." Treize reached over to caress one of Merquise's clenched fists. "Little mage, do you know what it is like to be completely isolated from society? To not be able to touch the one you love in a thousand years?"

"I ... I..." Wufei saw the naked pain in both Khushrenada's and Merquise's eyes and something stirred within him in spite of himself. Whatever the truth of the past was, he could understand that pain. He may have never loved, but he did know something about loneliness.

Treize sighed. "And there you have it. All we could do was make the best of it and try to atone for the suffering we'd caused. It wasn't always easy, but as the years went by, we discovered that even if we could not break the seals we _could_ exert some influence on the world around us. We began first by inducing a heavier rainfall and then ensuring a bountiful harvest. It was our penance, and the gratitude and sheer wonder we sensed from the village were enough to confirm we were doing the right thing."

"Eventually the seal began to weaken and our little "miracles" increased. Soon they became so common that they were taken for granted. When the folktales grew around us about a blessed land and the Dragon Clan being a chosen people, we were happy. Unable to do much else, we saw watching over Dragon Glen as our duty. We so grew to love this place that the chain of temple guardians who appeared in every generation to "contain" us not only seemed excessive, but the practice itself also struck us as wrong-headed. We already knew the price of banishment. Why should anyone be forced into a life of solitude for our sakes?"

That struck Wufei right to the core. He tried to give voice to the feeling in his breast but was unable to. Treize's words affected him too deeply. Merquise, however, must have taken Wufei's silence for antagonism and he made a derisive sound.

"Don't waste your breath, Treize. He thinks it's all lies."

"That's not true!" Wufei hotly retorted. He tamped his temper down with an act of will. "I'm listening and I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt," he said carefully. "But surely you cannot expect me to throw away everything I've been taught in a single night. If you can influence the elements how do I know that this entire storm wasn't orchestrated by you as part of some sinister plan?"

Treize's look was earnest. "What can we say to convince you? Did we want to escape? Of course we did, but we still weren't strong enough to break the seals on our own. Think of it. If we could, why we would have waited one thousand years to do so? No, we didn't start that lightning storm but we were weren't fools enough to let the chance pass us by. It's as simple as that. I can understand your suspicion after everything you were led to believe but we're not here to hurt Dragon Glen. Truly."

Wufei's doubt must have been written across his features because Treize sighed. Yet, how could he not be doubtful when everything he knew about his vocation and himself had changed in an instant? What was the purpose of his existence? Were the last four winters of his life now meaningless? No, not just the last four winters but his entire youth, for Wufei had been groomed for the temple from the instant he could wield magic. And what of the hundreds of temple guardians before him? Had they lived in isolation for an empty dream? If Khushrenada and Merquise were speaking the truth then the weight of that truth seemed too much to bear. Increasingly, though, Wufei feared it was a burden he would have to shoulder. As much as he didn't want to trust Khushrenada and Merquise, certain things Treize had said were alarmingly consistent with what Wufei had noticed himself.

Dragon Glen was known first and foremost for its tradition of dragon-rearing but right on the heels of that, people far and wide spoke of the land of emerald fields. It had not always been so, however, and Wufei was one of the few people who could appreciate that fact. Because of his studies, he knew that before Khushrenada and Merquise were sealed, none of the histories ever referred to such a thing and when they did mention Dragon Glen, the area was described as a semi-arid region. At one point, a great scholar had even projected that Dragon Glen would no longer be inhabitable in two centuries and the clan would be forced to return to the ancient nomadic ways.

Eleven centuries later, his prophesy had never come to pass. Instead, Dragon Glen had seen an incremental increase in harvest yields. The river which was once little more than a trickle swelled its banks and new springs burst from the ground. In fact, the first harvest had been so momentous that its date was recorded in more than fifty sources--Day One of the Fifth Dragon Cycle and exactly one hundred years to the date the demons had been sealed.

_Gods._ Wufei shook his head.

"You've felt our power, have acknowledged yourself the uncommon prosperity of Dragon Glen and yet you still doubt us?" Treize demanded.

"He's just a stubborn brat that's all." Merquise's' lip curled.

Why the hell was the blond so determined to antagonize him? Wufei bristled, struggling to control his temper. "Well forgive me for not running to you with open arms. You may be telling the truth but your behavior here hasn't exactly inspired trust. Your average guardian spirit doesn't go about breaking into people's homes and peeping at them in the bath!"

"Actually," Zechs offered, "If they watch over you all the time, it's safe to assume that they do."

Wufei's jaw ticked. The vein in his temple throbbed.

"Ah ... Zechs, this may _not_ be the best time for that particular observation," Treize murmured, patting Zechs on the shoulder and carefully steering him away from Wufei.

"But it's only logical--"

"I know, Zechs, I know, but look at him. His face is almost as red as your tunic. I would venture that is perhaps a small indication of his displeasure with us."

"How do you know what we're seeing isn't the flush of desire? He is naked after all."

"What!?" Wufei flushed. Making a choked sound, he darted behind the table, shielding himself.

"See?" Zechs smirked.

"_Get out_!"

"Huh?"

"I said get out!" Wufei shouted, so flustered, that the hand he flung out to point to the blackened door was trembling. "I don't care if you're demons, guardian spirits or the Dragon God himself. I refuse to listen to you perverts anymore!"

"But..." Zechs began, actually looking a bit contrite.

"_Out! Out! Out_!" Wufei called his power around him in what he hoped was a threatening display. Truth or no truth he wouldn't stand for this anymore. When neither demon moved though, his temper exploded. "What the hell are you still doing here? I'm counting to ten and if by then you're not out of here I'll--"

"Ah," Treize coughed. "Sorry to interrupt but as much as we'd like to leave there's one small problem."

"And what," Wufei ground out, "might that be?"

"We can't."

-------------------------------------

"What do you mean you can't?" Wufei demanded. He was tired of these games. Why did these two persist in tormenting him so?

"I'll show you," Treize said and Wufei stared as the General unclasped his cape and let it fall to the floor. He removed his armor and eased his tunic off his shoulders. He secured it about his waist to prevent it from sliding past his hips. When he was shirtless, muscles gleaming in the faint light, he beckoned to Wufei.

Wufei immediately balked. No way he was falling for that lame ploy. "I thought I told you--"

"It's not what you think. Come; you must see this."

Wufei inched forward. "What is it?" he demanded testily.

"This." Treize indicated a spot on his left breast just above his heart (or whatever equivalent beings like Khushrenada and Merquise possessed).

Wufei peered at the point in question, at first, seeing nothing extraordinary about the small tattoo-like mark inscribed there. It was no bigger than a silver coin and in the shifting firelight it was barely visible. Annoyed, Wufei was just about to turn away when he noticed how disturbingly familiar the marking seemed. He squinted, leaning closer. It almost looked like a rune inscription. In fact, now that he thought about it, the tattoo looked a hell of a lot like the markings on the fifth rune he'd lost. But that was impossible. Mages' rune stones were unique. There was no way the inscriptions could be reproduced, except by the mage himself and even then it was an incredibly laborious process. Wufei was already dreading replacing the one he'd lost for that very reason. If it wasn't so important he'd avoid it entirely. So how by the gods had Treize even guessed the marking much less made a tattoo of it? The whole thing was even more bizarre since the General should have never seen it. When the lightning storm broke the seals, it had scattered Wufei's runes as well. A weight of dread settled in the pit of Wufei's stomach. Unless...

"No, that can't be."

"This is yours, is it not?" Treize demanded.

"I don't know how you achieved this forgery, or what you intend by it, but I'm not amused."

Merquise rolled his eyes. "Here we go again. What did I tell you, Treize?"

Wufei ignored him. "That cannot be mine. There is no such thing as a living rune." Even as he said it, however, Wufei was filled with doubt. Normally, he knew that would be true but Khushrenada and Merquise weren't 'living' in the usual sense were they?

"Then what would you call this? You and I both know I could not do this myself. What's more, though we can sense high magical energy in you, your attacks have been weak. Which means either you are ailing or you have lost a rune stone," Treize said matter-of-factly.

"But..."

"Since you seem to be in perfect health, I can only assume it's the latter. And I wouldn't be surprised in the least if you lost that rune when we were freed. Am I wrong?"

Wufei shook his head glumly.

"Somehow, when the seal broke, it must have caused some reaction between our power and your stone. There was certainly enough magic in the air to make it possible."

That was not what Wufei wanted to hear. What he wanted was his rune stone back and for these two ... _guardians_ to leave him alone and he told them so. "Look, that's all very interesting, but frankly I don't give a damn. I want you to leave now. Since you're not the demons you're purported to be, there should be no problem right? The two of you seem resourceful enough. Find someone else to bother."

"If it were that easy do you think we'd still be here?" Merquise snarled. "It's because of your damn stone we have no choice but to stay here."

Wufei slammed his palms down on the table. "Look, you pompous bastard, nobody's keeping you here against your will. Believe me I want nothing more than to see you disappearing over that mountain so why don't you do us both a favor and get out?"

Merquise made a disgusted sound. "Haven't you been listening to a thing Treize has been saying or are you just too dense to figure it out? Runes can only be directed by the mage they belong to and your rune has imprinted itself on our bodies. That means your power is now connected to ours. _That means_ we can't leave until you make us leave by getting rid of this mark. How do you think we were drawn here in the first place? It was your own damn power that called us."

"But I didn't _do _anything," Wufei spluttered. "How am I supposed to release you when I don't even know how my mark got there in the first place?"

"It's your rune. How the hell can you not know?" Merquise growled.

"Gentlemen!" Treize made a placating gesture. "I know this is a frustrating situation but let us not descend to squabbling." He turned to Wufei. "Mageling--"

"_Wufei_," Wufei hissed.

"Wufei, why don't you get dressed and bring your materials down? The only way we'll be free of each other is if you can reconstruct that missing stone."

-------------------------------------

Wufei placed his four stones on the table then set the petalyfe, the magical stone from which he would reconstruct the fifth rune at the center. He called his power to him, biting his lip as the stones began vibrating. The process required a bi-directional exchange of power between himself and the stone and sweat broke out on Wufei's brow under the force of the magic. It required an immense amount of energy and the entire room glowed a luminous phosphorescent blue with every pulse of power streaming from Wufei. Finally, the fifth rune began to take shape, its edges softening and becoming rounded. It shimmered, solidifying by slow degrees while Khushrenada and Merquise looked on with anxious faces. Wufei panted, pain burning his arms and back as energy was drawn from him at an incredible rate. Now came the hardest part.

Wufei chanted the summoning spell, repeating the enchanted words until the sinuous line of the inscription began to coalesce. He held on, willing the sigil to become permanent but the lines kept shifting and dissolving, his own power fighting him every step of the way. Wufei stumbled. The room spun and he shook his head, bracing his legs far apart and gripping the table for balance. By now, the rune should have been complete and it was agony trying to maintain the summoning spell but Wufei fought on, forcing every ounce of power he could muster into stabilizing the rune. One dark line appeared and then another. For a moment, it seemed it would hold.

"Yes ... yes!" Merquise urged, leaning forward excitedly.

_Almost ... almost... If he could keep up the flow for just a little longer..._ Wufei summoned all of his strength but he'd already spent double the amount of energy normally required for the task and he could hold out no more. "Nngh ... ungh ... _I can't._..." Wufei barely had time to cry out before the petalyfe exploded and he was flung backwards. He landed hard on the stone floor, the wind knocked out of his lungs. He lay there, stunned. Every bone in his body screamed with pain and his head was pounding from the shock of the fall. "Ugh..." he groaned.

"Wufei! Are you all right?" Treize was shouting. Even Merquise was hurrying towards him with agitated strides. Wufei really didn't see what all the commotion was about. He had only taken a little tumble. Nothing to get worked up over.

"I ... I'm fine," Wufei protested, sitting up to prove his point. He brushed off his robes, stumbled to his feet, took one step forward ... and Khushrenada's and Merquise's distressed faces were the last things he saw before the world went dark.

-------------------------------------

Wufei awoke to find himself cradled in Treize's arms, while Merquise held a compress to his forehead. There were bandages on his forearms and he could only assume the blond had also put them there. He groaned, pushing Treize's hands away to sit up--and was immediately forced back down by Merquise.

"Be still," Merquise barked. "You're in no condition to be going anywhere."

"But..." Wufei was about to protest, but in truth he was light-headed from energy loss and the pain in his arms was an even greater deterrent to movement. He looked around to notice for the first time the herbs from his garden on the table and the pot simmering over the fireplace. A pungent medicinal aroma rose from the pot and Wufei watched as Merquise went to the fireplace and ladled some of the hot mixture into a mug. So the blond had a gift for healing? How surprising.

"Here, drink this; it'll ease the pain," Merquise ordered, bringing the potent broth to Wufei's lips.

Wufei grimaced but did as he was told. When Merquise was satisfied with the amount he'd drunk, the blond set the cup aside and Wufei sagged back against Treize. He raised his arm to examine the bandages and winced at the pain that immediately shot up the limb. "What happened?" he groaned.

"You overdid it," Merquise said, pressing his lips together. "The pressure was too much for your hands and the skin broke. A few of the cuts are quite deep, but with my salve there should be no scarring."

"Thanks," Wufei murmured, abashed at the blond's care of him after all his earlier hostility. Then: "Did ... did it work?" he croaked, almost afraid to ask.

"I'm afraid not." Treize said, speaking for the first time. He shook his head when a frustrated oath burst from Wufei's lips. "It is all right. For now, the most important thing is that you heal. Otherwise, we'll really be in trouble." He must have been reading Wufei's thoughts for he quickly added: "For that reason we must insist that you do not attempt any spells for the next few days until your arms are healed."

"No, I'm fine, really. I just need--"

"That's enough!" Merquise cut Wufei off with a stern look. "I didn't spend all this time nursing a brat like you back into shape so you could undo all my hard work. The reconstruction of the rune failed and you are simply going to have to face the fact that we will be here for a few days at best. At worst it'll be much longer if what we all suspect is true--and that is the stone _cannot_ be reconstructed as long as the markings are imprinted on my and Treize's bodies. Your current injuries seem to be evidence enough of that."

Wufei had been thinking the same thing but hearing his fears spoken aloud seemed to make their fate all the more ominous. "Maybe ... maybe you're wrong. Maybe there's a way for this to work. As soon as I am recovered I will find away to free us from this imposed companionship. In fact, I..." He paused, turning to look curiously at Zechs. "Wait a minute. You've been complaining all this time yet I haven't seen a single mark on _you_. I see why Khushrenada must stay, but what's keeping you here? Do you just refuse to leave his side?"

Merquise muttered something under his breath but Treize coaxed him into listening to Wufei. "He won't believe you until he sees it for himself, Zechs. Show it to him"

Zechs shrugged. He removed his armor and belt and pulled his tunic over his head.

Wufei's eyes bugged. Merquise was ... was... He made a choked sound as the blond was left standing in nothing but a skimpy loincloth fastened at the side. An arrow of golden hair trailed from his navel to disappear beneath the scant underwear, which sat low on his hips. When Merquise began untying the knot at his hip, Wufei shot to his feet, almost knocking Treize over in the process.

"Stop!"

Merquise shot him a puzzled look.

"You don't have to show me. Just tell me where it is!"

"All right." Merquise's hands stilled on the loincloth. "It's on my inner thigh."

"Amazing really," Treize purred, rising to join his Lieutenant. Wufei stared in disbelief as he knelt before Merquise and slid his hand up the blond's thighs as though it were the most natural thing in the world. What's more, Merquise immediately shifted, allowing Treize greater access. Treize leaned closer, casually rubbing a spot where the loincloth met the crease of Merquise's leg. "Unbelievable."

Merquise sighed, brushing a hand through Treize's hair as the General continued to caress him. "If you're surprised, imagine how I must feel. I always knew the gods had a sense of humor."

Those two were--! Wufei tottered to the table and slumped in his chair. His cheeks were on fire. This situation was moving from bad to worse. What next? If anybody dropped one more article of clothing he was going to kill them.

Khushrenada and Merquise were murmuring to each other, their host seemingly completely forgotten. Wufei could ignore the men's husky laughter; he could even ignore the heated looks shared between them, but Treize's fingers going to the knot at Merquise's hip was the last straw.

"General Khushrenada, would you kindly step away from your Lieutenant?"

The warriors' laughter abruptly ceased. Merquise was clearly irritated by the interruption but Wufei didn't care. This was his cottage and they were intruders. He had a right to set limits on what did and did not go on in here. As for Treize, he frowned but he did as Wufei requested.

"I do not see why..." the General began.

"No." Wufei did not allow him to continue. "I'm sorry but I won't hear any objections. If we're going to be living together, it's about time I laid down some ground rules."

-------------------------------------

Wufei called Khushrenada and Merquise to the table. They sat, staring at each other across the scarred wood. Nataku was curled about Wufei's shoulders, the little dragon clearly distressed at his injuries and at finding two powerful strangers in the cottage. Wufei tried to reassure her by petting her scales. "It's all right, girl," he murmured, though he wasn't so sure himself.

Merquise glanced curiously at Nataku. "Is that a pet?"

"Sort of..." Wufei frowned. "Dragons are very intelligent beings so it's not quite right to call them pets. I couldn't keep Nataku here if she didn't want to. She's more like a companion than anything else." Wufei rubbed his fingers along Nataku's head, earning him a deep purring sound from the little dragon.

"Hm. Must get pretty lonely then." There was nothing mocking in Merquise's voice, but the clear-eyed gaze he cast upon Wufei seemed to expose some deep vulnerability in him and Wufei flushed.

"No ... no ... not really," Wufei stammered eager to let the topic drop but Treize turned to him with a thoughtful look.

"So you really do live here all alone?"

"Yes of course."

"A shame indeed. No friends ... lovers?"

Wufei's few friends all lived in the village--or had lived there when he left for the temple. He supposed Heero and Duo had both gone on to much more exciting things now. Those two always had a knack for adventure. As for lovers ... well... Before he'd become temple guardian he'd fooled around a bit with Trowa, the son of the local dragonmaster. Last Wufei heard, though, Trowa had bonded with a blond empath from the Alhaza desert. Even now the knowledge filled him with a wistful longing. What he and Trowa shared hadn't been love exactly. It had been more like love's first tender beginnings--friendship, affection and desire tumbled together all at once. In other circumstances Wufei felt sure things would have been different, but the fates had different plans for them and there was no use holding onto what might have been now.

"I've always been a bit of a loner anyway." Wufei's shrug was intended to show a certain cultivated indifference but Treize's eyes softened with something akin to pity.

"Is that so?"

"Anyway, I thought we would discuss living arrangements while you're here."

"Of course."

Wufei flattened his palms against the table. "First of all, you two will need to help me out in the garden if there is to be enough food for the three of us. There's also Betsy to consider. I don't want to have to get another goat since you're staying here temporarily but I don't know if she can produce enough milk for us all. Which leads me to the next matter. I hate to be crude, but do you have anything in the way of money?"

"Well, let's see..." Wufei waited as Merquise and Khushrenada fished about their uniforms. Finally, Merquise pushed a battered gold coin across the table.

"I'm afraid this is all I have," he apologized.

Wufei held the coin up to the light. It was actually a rather large denomination, worth roughly 5 pentgrams in its day--enough to supply them with provisions for a month. The only problem was it hadn't been in circulation for almost a thousand years! The best he would get for it now was the value of the gold itself, maybe a little more if Jared thought he could sell it to an antiques collector. Wufei pressed a hand to his forehead. "It's not much but I'll see what I can do," he said with a sigh.

Maybe he could pretend Khushrenada and Merquise were travelers seeking work and petition the village to hire them as his assistants. The temple had grown significantly since it was built and in recent years, the council had begun discussing hiring more help for the guardians. The talks always stalled though since they could never find any workers willing to live on the mountain. It might be one way to pay for their expenses.

The other option was abandoning the temple altogether, but how could Wufei explain to the village that the demons had escaped? Not only that, but that they weren't demons anymore and were actually responsible for Dragon Glen's wealth? Even if they did believe Wufei, what would he do now that he was free? Where would he go? He had few other marketable skills he could live by. It was also near impossible for a mage of his power to be taken in by a guild without having served an apprenticeship under a guild master. He wouldn't mind an apprenticeship--he was certainly still young enough to not raise any eyebrows. The only problem was with his power, there was little any master could teach him. At the same time, he couldn't take on an apprentice of his own without belonging to a guild. Wufei buried his head in his arms. This was a terrible, terrible mess.

"Is something wrong?" Treize asked him.

"No, somehow I'll figure this all out. For now let's just try to get along. I only have one bed so you'll have to spread some furs down here. Unfortunately I will have to buy those from Jared when he comes by tomorrow. For tonight at least, you will have to make do with some blankets. Luckily it hasn't been too cold, so if you sleep near the fireplace you should be toasty enough. Also ... I don't care what kind of relationship you have but just keep your ... _activities_ ... where I can't see them. I'm not doing any extra laundry because of you!" Wufei flushed.

Merquise chuckled. "About that ... There's one more thing we haven't discussed. It has to do with our 'dietary requirements' if you will."

"What is it?" Wufei didn't even try to be optimistic. He simply braced himself for the bad news.

"Treize and I absorb a portion of the energy around us. For the most part, this isn't a problem since there is an abundance of energy in all of nature itself. Even so, we must always be careful not to absorb too much life force from our surroundings. When we were imprisoned, our "appetites" were smaller, because the seals were made to restrict our powers. We could slowly retrieve the energy we needed without having to worry that we would drain too much from the living things around us. Now that we are free, though, we'll need to take in power at our original levels. Treize and I usually get the majority of our energy through a direct exchange that leaves us sated enough to absorb the rest of our needs at a much slower pace. This way, we cause no harm to our surroundings."

"Direct exchange?" Wufei echoed. "You mean...?"

There were three main ways magical beings, including mages gained new energy: through food, through absorption from the environment as Merquise had described and ... through sex. This last produced the greatest and most direct form of energy. It was quick, requiring no internal conversion before power could be called upon and of the three, it was also the only method that was ... well ... _fun_. Needless to say, it was the preferred choice of most mages. As for Wufei, he preferred to think of himself as much more discriminating.

Merquise nodded. "Since we're already lovers it makes the most practical sense."

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with me?"

"Nothing if your rune hadn't interfered with things. With your power now connected to ours, the old methods are no longer enough. What did you think being drawn to your power meant? Runes always draw upon the energy of their masters. With your rune imprinted on us, we crave your power too."

Wufei swallowed. He jerked to his feet and began edging away from the two warriors. "I don't know what you're implying but I won't be involved in a direct exchange of _anything_ between you and Khushrenada. You can forget it!"

"Oh dear," Treize murmured as he and Merquise began moving toward Wufei. "Somehow I knew this would happen. Won't you let us convince you otherwise?"

-------------------------------------

This chapter ends in a lemon scene. To stay within compliance of FFnet's rules I've removed it. If you're 18 or older and would like to read the unedited version please visit my web site.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own Wufei, Treize or Zechs though I sorely wish I did. This chapter isn't betaed so please excuse any mistakes.

This chapter contains explicit content has been edited to stay compliant with policies so please check my web site for the full chapter in the coming weeks.

The Broken Seal

by Michalyn

Part Three

When Wufei woke the next morning, the rain had disappeared as though it had never been. A slice of brilliant blue sky peeked through the tiny window above his desk and sunlight poured onto his bed. For a moment, Wufei basked in the warmth, his mind pleasantly blank in the fuzzy aftermath of sleep. Yet, all too soon he remembered the previous night's catastrophe. Wufei's cheeks burned. What was he going to do? After ... _that_ ... had happened, he'd left the two warriors downstairs and had hidden in his room for the rest of the night. Wufei had been afraid that Treize and Zechs would follow him, but luckily even their presumption did not extend that far. Soon after Wufei retired, they had fallen asleep on the makeshift bedding he'd given them. Now, twenty-four hours later, Wufei still did not know what to do about the two intruders in his living room.

That is, the two intruders who were _supposed_ to be in his living room... Wufei frowned as he descended from the loft to the main room below. He looked about the room, but the only evidence of his guests was the neatly folded blankets stacked in the corner near the fireplace. Could they have gone to the village? Wufei fought down a surge of panic. They were guardians not demons right? If they went to the village there should be no problem, he tried to tell himself. People would wonder about their outdated dress but Dragon Glen was no stranger to travelers. As long as they suppressed their powers and did not breathe a word about being on the mountain everything should be fine.

Too bad he didn't believe it.

Wufei ran to the door. A million scenarios ran through his head and none of them were good. As he passed the kitchen, he spotted his rune stones on the table. Wufei hesitated. Should he ... or shouldn't he? Hadn't last night proven the stones were as good as useless? On a whim Wufei hurried to the table and stuffed the runes into his pocket. They might be useless but it was the only thing he had. He would need a miracle if Treize and Zechs were not what they claimed to be but he could only hope the gods were with him. Heart pounding, Wufei was just lifting the door latch when he was stopped by a string of blistering curses.

"_God damn it, you insufferable beast_! Come back here!"

There was the sound of footsteps followed by an incredible crash. Betsy bleated loudly and her bell clanged in a way that could only mean she was galloping about the yard.

Wufei blinked. What in the heavens was going on?

Whatever he had been expecting, nothing prepared Wufei for the sight that greeted him when he dashed outside.

At one corner of Betsy's corral, a flustered-looking Treize was clutching an empty pail. Not ten feet away, Zechs was sprawled in the mud, his pristine robes soiled and his scarlet cloak twisted in the muck. Betsy, on the other side of the corral, eyed the two guardians warily.

"What's all this rukus about so early in the morning? Can't you two act civilized for once? What are you doing to Betsy and why is Zechs in the mud?" Wufei demanded.

"Damned ingrate," Zechs growled, spitting out mud as he rose to his feet. "He's just as bad as the goat."

"What!?" Wufei was indignant. He glared at Zechs.

"I'm going inside, Treize," Zechs said, igorning Wufei. "I've had enough of making a jackass of myself trying to milk that she-demon of a goat. And I refuse to add insult to injury by listening to this mageling's tirade when we were only trying to help him. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did." The blond stalked off. His cloak slapped wetly against his legs, leaving unsightly smears against his pale skin.

Wufei turned to Treize. "What was that about?"

Treize sighed. "We woke up and thought we'd help with breakfast by getting the milk." Treize nodded toward Betsy. "Obviously we did not succeed. I tried to milk her while Zechs held her but she would have none of it. Needless to say, in that kind of situation it does not help one's pride to have the goat's owner come out shouting imprecations. "

"I was not shouting imprecations," Wufei hissed. "I come downstairs and the first thing I hear is the two of you shouting and Betsy running about the yard as though her life depended on it. What was I supposed to think? If you'd only asked I would have told you that Betsy is extremely skittish. She's very particular about who she will let milk her. The two of you as strangers would have never succeeded. You should have just left it to me."

Wufei took the pail from Treize and went over to Betsy. Murmuring soothingly to the nanny goat, he patted her on the flank then placed the bucket under her. Before long, the morning quiet was filled with the rhythmic drumming of her milk hitting the pail. When Wufei was done, he rose with the pail now filled with thick frothy milk. He raised an eyebrow as he walked past Treize.

"**_Now_** we can have breakfast," he said.

---------------------------------

Wufei carried the milk inside with Treize follwing quietly behind him. He almost dropped the pail, however, when he entered the cottage and found Zech bathing in front of the fire. The blond's wet hair clung to his neck in a gleaming swath. His large muscular body was ridiculously cramped in the wooden tub meant for Wufei's smaller proportions. Yet, what should have been a comical sight was anything but as Wufei got quite the view of Zechs' broad back and slick golden skin. Heat pooled in his belly. Wufei swallowed and hurried to the table, determined not to look at Zechs.

Treize of course had no such qualms. While Wufei was setting the milk down and fishing out an iron pot and some spices with which to make some porridge, he heard the General amble over to Zechs and begin murmuring to him. The gentle splashing sounds of Zechs washing himself as well as the men's talking stopped for a moment and then resumed. Wufei did not allow himself to think about what might account for that significant pause. Instead he opened the kitchen window, grateful for the crisp air on his hot cheeks.

Wufei whistled for Nataku. The little dragon quickly answered, flapping over to Wufei and resting on his shoulder. She rubbed against his neck.

"There you are, girl. Have you eaten?" Wufei asked, petting Nataku's scales.

The dragon made a contented sound and settled more comfortably against Wufei.

Wufei laughed. "I'll take that as a yes then. Unless I can entice you with some of these?" He held out some of the prickly dragon fruit that had earned its name because dragons loved it so much. Nataku gobbled the pieces up from Wufei, but not without butting her head worriedly against the bandages on his arms. The pain had eased so much from the wounds that Wufei had all but forgotten them. When he remembered that this was due to Zechs' medicinal salve, Wufei felt a little guilty for having been so short with the blond earlier.

When Nataku was finished eating, she flew up to her favorite perch in the rafters above Wufei's bedroom and promptly dozed off. Wufei returned to the ingredients he had been preparing for the porridge, hoping that Zechs would be done with his bath so he could use the fire. Deciding to wait a few minutes, just in case... Wufei headed towards the fireplace with his ingredients in hand.

Zechs and Treize were sitting together on the floor cushions. Zechs had wrapped himself in a blanket and since Wufei saw nothing of the blond's soiled clothes, he guessed they had been washed and hung out to dry. It reminded him that the two guardians really only had the clothes on their backs; if their robes happened to get soiled, like in Zechs' case, they were not left with many options. Wufei frowned. Even his weekly laundry rounds would literally leave the two men naked. Wufei didn't have much to spend, but it was probably wise to get Treize and Zechs some new clothes when Jared stopped by later in the day. Besides, more normal clothes would make the guardians a lot less conspicuous. Dressed as they were now, Wufei could not pass them off as simple travellers even if he wanted to.

Wufei placed the pot on the fire and poured some milk into it, followed by the oats and the spices he had taken from the pantry. He stirred the mixture as the aromas of cinnamon, brown sugar and nutmeg hovered deliciously in the air.

Treize sniffed. "What are you making?" he asked. Next to him, Zechs nodded. Both men seemed to have recovered from their foul moods.Wufei tried not to look at the way their bodies leaned into each other.

"Just some porridge for us."

"Hmm, smells good. I didn't know you had a talent for cooking, Elf," Zechs rumbled.

"Elf?" Wufei raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"What do you mean 'what'?" Wufei growled and Treize laughed.

"I think he's trying to tell us that he objects to being called tiny, Zechs."

"Oh?" Zechs chuckled. "And why not? He doesn't even come up to my chin."

Wufei set his ladle down with a clang. "Keep that up and at least one of us will not be getting a meal. And that does not include me."

Zechs made a placating gesture. "Beg pardon," he murmured, but a smile hovered about his lips.

Wufei ignored him. Despite his threatening words, he set three bowls on a large wooden tray and ladled some porridge into each. Treize and Zechs accepted their portions gratefully and taking his own bowl, Wufei started to eat. He sat opposite the two men, occasionally glancing up to answer some odd question about the meal ... or to sneak a glance at their continued touching. Zechs' hand was resting casually upon Treize's thigh and when a few strands of the blond's hair fell into his face, Treize brushed them away without a thought.

Wufei didn't want to stare but it was impossible not to. So rarely did he have the opportunity to observe visitors of any kind, much less two as different as these. He had read much about the ... _ways of men _... but it was another thing entirely to observe a couple first hand, nevermind they were not really human. Besides, even he had to admit they were somewhat attractive. Not that it had any effect on him of course... Wufei quickly looked away when Treize glanced in his direction. They ate in a charged silence, though Wufei couldn't fathom why it would be that way. He thought he felt the other men's eyes on him, but when he looked up, they were focused on their own meals.

When they were finished, Wufei rose to gather up the bowls. "I'll go wash up," he began, but Treize stopped him. He reached out and encircled Wufei's wrist.

"Don't go. You've satisfied our hunger, now let us repay our debt. We haven't forgotten the way you responded to us," Treize husked. He bent his head to mouth the throbbing pulse point at Wufei's wrist.

Wufei's breath lodged in his throat. "That's ... that's quite all right. It was just a simple meal," he stammered. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear the blood rushing in his ears.

"You know, with that prickly attitude and all the protesting you do, a man might never guess how hotly you burn. This morning, in my anger, I almost forgot it, too. But I remember it very clearly now," Zechs purred. He took Wufei's free hand and in unison, he and Treize tugged on their captured limbs until Wufei toppled forward and landed between them on the cushions.

"What the--Wait a god damned minute!" Wufei struggled to get up. "We are not going through that again," he said shakily. His eyes darted from Treize to Zechs.

"Why not? There's no question of your desire for us," Treize asked. Already, he was leaning close.

"Indeed." Zechs' hot breath bathed Wufei's ear. "Stop fighting us, Elf. Yesterday, we barely had a chance to hold you. Now we have all the time in the world. Let us take you upstairs to that little bed of yours. Treize and I will undress you and show you what it really means to be bonded to us."

---------------------------------

"What? Th...there's no way that is going to happen!"

Wufei tried to rise but with Zechs' lips brushing the sensitive rim of his ear, he just couldn't seem to get his feet under him. The moment of hesitation was all Treize needed to close the distance between them.

"I really would like to know why you're so afraid of this," the older man whispered. "More than that, I want to know what we can do to ease your fears. Will you do that for us, Lovely? Will you tell us how to soothe you?"

Treize's voice held a note of promise that sent heat spiralling through Wufei. He raised his hand to push Treize away but somehow his fingers ended up tangled in the other man's tunic. Then, Treize was cupping the back of his head and kissing him soundly.

Wufei's eyes fluttered closed. Warmth spread through his veins as Treize's mouth latched onto the skin of his throat. Why couldn't he resist this? It had to be magic ... a sinister spell of some sort. How else could he explain the way his resolve melted beneath Zechs' and Treize's kisses like snow on a summer's day? It had to be something powerful and arcane. Wufei was sure of it.

While Wufei's thoughts jumbled together, Zechs' large hand had settled on his knee. Slowly, slowly it slid upwards, and Wufei moaned as Zechs' hand worked its way beneath his tunic. His cry was transformed to a desperate shout when Zechs fondled his burgeoning erection. The sensation was so unexpected, so electric that Wufei's eyes flew wide open.

_"Zechs...I..."_

"Mmm..." Treize's mouth covered Wufei's and the older man drank in his cry, his lips brushing Wufei's in gentle sweeps. "Such pretty sounds you make. I'd like to hear more."

Wufei shivered, caught between Treize's teasing mouth and Zechs' stroking hand. The blond was rubbing over the crown of his erection in a hot circular motion that made Wufei's entire body clench in ecstasy. He heard his ragged moans and the wild sound he made when Zechs embraced him even more tightly but he might as well have been listening to a stranger for all he could do to stop them. Wufei's tunic was tugged over his head and he barely had a chance to catch his breath before he was lowered to the cushions and Treize and Zechs stretched out, forming a living wall on either side of him.

Their large bodies pressed against along Wufei's sides, hot and demanding. Zechs and Treize were looking down at him with such expressions of _hunger _that Wufei couldn't help feeling like a lamb thrown to the wolves. Yet, for all their insistence, Treize's hands smoothing over his belly were gentle, and the warm kiss Zechs placed on Wufei's shoulder was meant more to soothe than to excite. Such ferocity and tenderness melded together ignited Wufei as never before.He was trembling, aflame with a desire he couldn't suppress. Wufei stared at the rune mark over Treize's heart. He _wanted_ them, he realized with startling clarity. And if that sigil spoke true, Zechs and Treize were _his_. Would it be so terrible to give in?

"Please," he moaned.

"Soon, soon, Elf," Zechs purred. "Treize is going to make you feel--"

Whatever Zechs had been about to say was interrupted by a sudden loud rapping at the door. An urgent voice echoed beyond the wood: "Master Wufei? Master Wufei are you there?"

---------------------------------

"Oh god!" Wufei bolted to his feet. He straightened his tunic and scrambled into his leggings. _What in heaven's name was he doing?_ What if it were one of the village elders? The window on the opposite wall was open and wide enough to offer a clear view of the mountain road. Wufei had always used it to keep an eye on anyone who might be coming up the path. Now the sight alone turned his knees to water. What if they had been seen? It was bad enough to have to explain how two strangers had materialized in his home; but to be caught doing ... _that _with them_--_ Wufei made a choked sound. His life would be over.

"Elf?" Treize began.

"_Don't say anything! _Just hide yourselves somewhere!" Wufei hissed, scurrying to the door as the knocking became even louder. He took one last deep breath and smoothed a hand over his hair. Then, he slowly opened the door. He found the village merchant waiting on the other side.

"Jared! Ah ... good day. You're a bit early aren't you?"

"Oh you're here, Master Wufei. I thought you might have gone up to the temple. Folks in the village thought they saw an explosion of some kind up here last night during the storm. The elders thought I should come earlier to make sure you were okay. Seems like the mountain got the brunt of that bad weather. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, yes of course," Wufei stammered. "Please thank everyone for their concern, though." He stared at Jared, searching his expression for anything that might he'd seen them on his way to the cottage. When Jared's smile remained eager and open, Wufei inwardly let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know what he would have done if Jared had seen him with Zechs and Treize.

"And the explosion?" Jared probed, searching Wufei's features.

"Ah ... lightning struck the temple," Wufei replied. "There was some damage, but nothing I couldn't fix with a spell or two, myself," he quickly amended.

The merchant smiled shyly. "I'm relieved. I ... we were worried that you might have been hurt all alone up here."

Wufei flushed. "Oh no. I'm quite fine, thank you. Please let the village know that there is nothing to worry about."

"I'll do that. Well, now that I know everything's fine, I've brought you some mail and I have some new candles that I think you might like. They're real beeswax not tallow, so they burn nice and clean. I got a good deal on them from an Arcadian merchant and since you're the only one here learned enough to need good light for reading, I thought I'd show them to you first." Jared ducked his head. "If you're interested I can give you a nice discount."

"Real beeswax?" Wufei repeated. The candles probably cost more than they were worth, but he had to admit he was tempted. He often read late into the evening and his spectacles could only help him so much in the weak light of the tallow candles he owned.

"Yup. They're the real thing, honest."

"Well..." Wufei bit his lip. "Let me get my regular supplies first and I'll see how much I have left over."

Jared nodded and pulled out another satchel. He looked meaningfully at Wufei as he waited for him to open the door. He needed to use the table to measure out the goods. Normally, it would not have been a problem. Normally, though Wufei did not have two powerful guardians for roommates. If Jared had not seen Zechs and Treize before, there was no way he could miss them once he was inside. Wufei stalled, blocking the entryway with his body. What now?

"Master Wufei?" Jared was still balancing the heavy satchel between his palms.

"Ah ... yes ... please come in." Wufei took a deep breath and inched the door open. A thousand excuses raced through his head to explain Treize's and Zechs' presence to Jared but he couldn't think of anything that would make sense. All he could be certain of was that as soon as the merchant stepped inside, his life as he knew it would be over. Wufei's heart was in his throat as the door swung open to reveal his living room.

It was empty.

Wufei's knees fairly buckled with relief. He didn't know where the guardians had gone or how they'd managed it, but he could kiss them both for being so prudent. "Why don't we go into the kitchen?" he quickly suggested to Jared and guided him to the table.

"All right." Jared spread his supplies out, waiting for Wufei to make his selections.

Wufei cleared his throat. "I'd like to buy a little more flour and rice than I usually do. And do you have any of that salted meat you brought last time?"

"Sure thing. How much more of each would you like?"

"Well I was thinking..."

"Ah! Wait, I almost forgot!" Jared interrupted before Wufei could finish. He handed him a small bundle. "I have some letters for you."

"Is that so? Thanks." Wufei didn't get many visitors but he maintained regular contact with a number of scholars in the outside world. They kept him up-to-date on the latest developments in the world of magick and Wufei in turn shared the fruits of his own studies with them. He published occasional articles, mostly about Dragon Glen's tradition of magick and the pieces were an additional source of income that he was quite grateful for.

In fact, a few of his articles had been so well received that he'd gotten a number of requests from other mages who wanted to come to Dragon Glen to learn more from him. Wufei always turned them down. Not because the elders would forbid it; quite the contrary. They welcomed the prestige such guests afforded. It was impractical for Wufei to ever leave the mountain because of his role as guardian but they had no objection to a visitor who would be an aid to his duties. No, Wufei simply wasn't interested in spending the time or energy necessary preparing for a visiting scholar. There was the matter of requesting permission from the elders ... finding lodging ... transportation ... suitable clothing for the temple rituals...

Wufei froze. Wait a minute. Food ... clothing ... shelter ... and the fire festival _was _coming up... It was a gamble. Should he risk it? Wufei turned to Jared.

"Jared, I think I'll be buying some tunics and leggings from you. I need good quality items but nothing too exorbitant. Oh and they need to be in a large size." Wufei bit his lip. A plan was slowly forming in his head and with a little luck, he thought it just might work.

---------------------------------

"Here, try these on." Wufei put the bundle of clothes on the table.

Treize and Milliardo walked over and examined the tunics, leggings and folded cloaks. "What are these?" Zechs asked.

"Clothes. Contemporary clothes," Wufei told him. "If this is going to work, we need to start by making the two of look like the rest of us. Right now you stick out like sore thumbs in those old military outfits."

"Old? These were cutting edge when we were sealed away," Treize murmured, fingering the soft wool of his cloak.

"Unfortunately, the only thing they're on the edge of right now, is history. No one is going to believe you and Zechs are visiting scholars if you come dressed in battle armor from 1000 years ago. Go on, try on the outfits. I think I bought the right size but I'm not sure. If they don't fit, I'll need to send for Jared to replace them."

"All right." Treize's cloak dropped to the floor. Beside him, Zechs was already pulling his tunic over his head. Wufei quickly turned around.

"Are you done?" he ground out after a moment.

"Yes, I think so," Treize mumured slowly. "Wait, Zechs, can you help me with this belt? You seem to have done a marvelous job with yours."

Zechs grunted and Wufei heard the soft rustling of cloth as the blond helped his partner put himself to rights.

"All right, what do you think?" Treize asked.

Wufei turned around and his breath deserted him. Treize and Zechs looked... Wufei swallowed, unable to speak. The clothes were a perfect fit.

He had bought the typical outfit worn by learned men for Trezie and Zechs: soft belted tunics, leggings and supple ankle boots. Long cloaks completed the ensemble. Treize was wearing a royal blue tunic with contrasting black leggings. His cloak echoed the color of his tunic but in a rich navy that made his eyes appear startlingly blue against the warmth of his complexion. For Zechs' part, he had abandoned his scarlet uniform for something much more subtle: cloak, tunic and leggings were of the deepest black. With his golden hair and pale skin the effect was breathtaking. Both men looked intelligent, elegant, and painfully attractive. If Wufei had thought them beautiful before, seeing them in modern clothing brought the point home now with heart-stopping force.

"Is something wrong? Did we not put them on correctly?" Zechs asked frowning.

"No ... no... they fit perfectly," Wufei murmured, sitting heavily at the table. Now all he had to do was figure out how to convince everyone that Zechs and Treize were scholars visiting for the fire festival. But that wasn't Wufei's only problem. There were other things he had to worry about. Like how long could he stay in close quarters with these very masculine, very attractive men and still keep his wits--and his virtue--about him.


	4. Chapter 4

Long overdue but not too late for Valentine's Day I hope! This has only been very quickly proofed so please excuse any mistakes.

This chapter has been edited to comply with 's policies. Please check my sitefor the full version

I make no claim to any of the Gundam Wing characters. This story is written for my, and hopefully others enjoyment and not for monetary profit.

**The Broken Seal  
Chapter 4/5  
by Michalyn  
Rating: MA**

**Authors Note:** Only one more chapter to go! I will try to make it not too long of a wait.

* * *

"Now don't forget what I told you. The food is in the pantry and I've already milked Betsy so all you should do is lift the trapdoor to get the milk out. I keep it underground so it stays cool but I've also cast a winter spell that keeps everything in the cellar chilled. That means the butter will keep as well. Nataku is coming with me so you don't have to worry about feeding her." Wufei looked at the two guardians. "Questions? Concerns? Protests?"

Treize cleared his throat.

"Yes?"

"Can we get a kiss before you leave?"

"No!" Wufei glared. "Be serious. I don't want the two of you getting into any trouble while I'm gone. Just stay put and don't let anyone see you."

"All right, all right," Treize agreed. "We will be here waiting for your return."

Zechs inclined his head. "If you are in trouble, call on us and we will be at your side immediately."

"Call on you?" Wufei repeated, confused.

Zechs flicked his hand and the runes in Wufei's pocket vibrated.

"Oh." Wufei gulped. He still did not quite believe that Treize and Zechs were connected to him. Truthfully both men made him nervous and not just because of their powers.

It was only a few days since the storm freed the two guardians from their seals but already they had turned Wufei's life upside down. He was prepared for conflict; he had not anticipated Treize and Zechs' desire for him. Wufei could deal with bruises and battles but he was completely out of his depth when it came to lust. The General and Lieutenant had made their intentions toward Wufei very clear and Wufei was not sure what to do about it. He was aware of his attraction to both men but also frightened by the intensity of arousal they inspired in him. Maybe this trip to the village was a good thing. He needed some time alone to clear his head.

Wufei grabbed his bag and headed to the door. "Wish me luck. If I ride hard I can get to the village before dark. If everything goes as planned, I can present you to the elders at the Fire Festival as visiting scholars."

Treize nodded. "Be careful, Elf. We shall see to things here while you are away."

Wufei tried not to imagine all the ways their "seeing to things" could go horribly wrong. Instead he forced himself to be optimistic though his hands were cold and his stomach was doing flip flops. He hoped he could pull this off. Otherwise, they would all be in trouble.

Dawn was just breaking over the horizon as Wufei left his cottage and tied his roll to his mount. He climbed into the saddle and Nataku settled on his shoulder with a flutter of her wings. Wufei cast one final glance at Treize and Zechs. In the pale morning light they looked beautiful and unearthly. The wind caught Zechs' hair and stirred it about his cheeks. The blond was looking at him in that calm focused way that Wufei always found disconcerting. At least Treize hid his sharp edges behind a charm and a teasing sense of humor. Wufei could never tell what Zechs was thinking.

Shaking his head, Wufei touched his heels to the horse's flanks. "All right then, I'm off."

Wufei waved and unfamiliar with the gesture, Treize and Zechs pressed their fists to their hearts in the ancient way of greeting. It was also a sign of fealty. Wufei was oddly touched. He turned and spurred his horse on, afraid that Treize and Zechs would see the uncommon tenderness in his expression.

* * *

The village had changed subtly since Wufei visited a year ago. There were new houses along the main street and the market had been extended. When he saw that Trowa had opened a new dragon-spell supply store, something inside of Wufei twisted. It was a neat two-storied building with the upper floor clearly serving as living quarters for the young couple. Wufei looked up and thought he saw the outline of two figures embracing against the gauzy curtains. He once felt guilty about not contacting his old friend. Now he knew it was for the better. Wufei quickly moved on.

The Fire Festival was the biggest event of the year in Dragon Glen and one could sense the anticipation in the air. The local inn already had banners up and its walls gleamed with a fresh coat of paint. Children eager to earn pocket money were selling dragon fruit they had picked from their disgruntled neighbors' trees. Many of the boys had fashioned rough wood carvings to peddle to tourists.

Wufei smiled as he watched a young girl sell the last of her fruit and then skip off excitedly to tell her friends. He remembered those days, although it had been different for him. Even as early as then, he was preparing to be the next guardian. Yet, he had always looked forward to end of the ceremonies when he could run off and play just like all the other children. How uncomplicated life had been then. As hard as his studies were Wufei had never doubted his purpose. The elders had told him his talent was a gift from the gods; a gift meant to protect his people. Wufei always believed them. Now he did not know what to think.

Never one to like attention, Wufei tried to keep to the lesser-used paths as much as possible, but once a few people caught sight of him, word quickly spread.

"Guardian Chang! Guardian Chang, what brings you to the village?"

"Is everything all right?"

"Chang-tzu [1], will you come to see my poor ailing son?"

"Where are you staying? Do us the honor of sleeping at our inn tonight!"

The cacophony of voices rose around Wufei and the crowd jostled closer. Wufei raised his hand.

"Thank you for your well wishes. Everything is fine. I am merely here to speak with the Elders about preparations for the Fire Festival. Mr. Chen, thank you but the elders have already made arrangements for me in the sacred hall. Mrs. Lin, I will come to see young Bao as soon as I am finished meeting with the elders. I have a salve that may help him...." And so Wufei continued until all the requests had been answered and the villagers finally dispersed. Wufei sighed. He was not very good with people and knew he often seemed gruff but he liked knowing he could help his people even in these small ways.

The excitement of the villagers had distracted Wufei for a moment but now that he approached the sacred hall, his queasiness returned. Wufei squared his shoulders and tried to tell himself that everything would be all right.

At the gate, the guards bowed deeply as they let him in. Two servants immediately ran up to take his horse and carry his things to his room.

Wufei thanked them and entered the Council Hall. It was second in importance only to the Temple. In the Hall, the five men and five women who made up the Council of Elders decided on Dragon Glen's most important matters. The elders were nominated by the villagers and theirs was a lifelong tenure. Temple guardians who lived long enough but were too old to protect the village occasionally were relieved of their duties and nominated to the council. It was the only hope Wufei had of returning to the village and living a normal life. Of course by then it probably did not matter anyway.

A young girl with thickly coiled hair and wearing the white robes of the temple students led Wufei to his room. When she was gone, he changed out of his traveling clothes. Sitting at the desk in front of the window, Wufei ate the modest dinner of beef stew, crusty bread and wine which had been prepared for him.

Through the window, Wufei could see the lush slopes of the mountain, though his cottage was not visible from here. He wondered what Treize and Zechs were doing. His room seemed so quiet and Wufei realized that in the short time the guardians had been with him, he had already grown used to their constant banter. It was not that he missed them (of course not, Wufei reminded himself) but for the first time he had a glimpse of his own loneliness. Even with Nataku snuggled in his lap Wufei did not feel the contentment he expected at being in a sacred place and surrounded by other devotees. Inside of him was a nameless hunger that Wufei did not know how to assuage.

The wind stirred and it seemed to hold a whiff of magic. Wufei turned his face to it, eyes fixed on the mountain and worried thoughts filling his head.

* * *

The elders summoned Wufei a little after dusk. Once the greetings were dispensed with, Wufei pulled out his bag. In it was the letter from Treize and Zechs. The night after Jared had left they composed the note on which this entire ruse depended.

Since the elders would recognize Wufei's script, Zechs took on the task of writing the letter. The blond had a fine hand for one so brusque although Wufei was careful not to point that out. After much discussion, they decided it would be best to claim that Treize and Zechs were historical scholars from Oz, a small kingdom near Zechs' homeland. The kingdom was obscure enough and both men familiar enough with its customs (at least as they had been then) to make their story convincing. Since they **_were_** the demons in question they would claim they were scholars of what was now referred to as the Reign of Blood (much to Treize and Zechs' chagrin. Given Dragon Glen's important role in the history, no one would question Treize and Zechs' motivations for visiting.

At least, that was what they hoped.

When they finished the letter, Wufei had planned to pry the seal off one of the missives Jared had delivered, but to his surprise Treize produced a seal of his own. The stamp was of a lion and scorpion entwined. Wufei found out that the lion was Treize's family emblem and the scorpion Zechs'. If he possessed any doubts about Treize and Zechs' relationship, they were silenced there and then.

Officially, the melding of family crests indicated a lifelong oath between a Lord and his Second but in practice it was the closest thing to a declaration of marriage that two men could achieve in a time when such things were still frowned upon. Wufei felt a little uncomfortable after that when he thought of Treize and Zechs being connected to him. If they were sworn to each other and they were now bonded to Wufei, did that mean Wufei was somehow ... **_married_** ... to them as well?

Wufei's cheeks warmed and he immediately shook his head of that thought.

"And so, they have requested to observe the temple and the Fire Festival," Wufei finished. He looked around the room. The elders were nodding.

"This seems like an excellent opportunity to gain some exposure for Dragon Glen," Master O was saying. "We would do well to welcome these esteemed scholars."

A murmur of agreement went around the room and Wufei nearly sagged with relief.

"Of course, we would like to have dinner with them. Oz is such a distant kingdom we must show our appreciation of their coming such a long way."

Shit. Wufei had been hoping to avoid that but it would be too suspicious if he refused. He was going to have to talk with Treize and Zechs about what to expect from the elders. Wufei inclined his head.

"I am sure they would be honored. Do you have any more questions for me, Sages? No? Then may we speak about the budget? Since the scholars will be here for a week, I would like to provide for them comfortably...."

The rest of the meeting was spent hammering out the details of the budget. Wufei was shocked by the generosity of the elders. He felt so guilty that he tried to dissuade them from the amount they proposed but no matter how much he protested, they viewed the "scholars'" comfort as a matter of pride to Dragon Glen. Wufei was forced to accept. He left with a purse heavy with gold coins and an even heavier heart at his deception.

Wufei had planned to spend three days in the village: one to visit the elders, another to help the villagers and a third just for himself. Yet, he found himself looking forward to returning home. For the first time there was someone--no, two **_someones_**-- waiting there for him. His feelings about the guardians were so conflicted. On the one hand he did not trust them and he resented them for complicating his life. On the other hand, he felt young and alive now, like the world was full of possibilities. Every morning he felt a quiver of excitement at what the day might bring and it was all due to Zechs and Treize.

It was a long time before Wufei fell asleep that night. He was troubled by a mix of doubt, guilt, hope and million other things Wufei could not name. Most of all he found himself wondering what it would be like to follow a different path and what it truly meant to come home.

* * *

All was quiet when Wufei rode up to the cottage. There was no one outside to greet him; barely a leaf stirred. Wufei felt a pang of disappointment and beneath that, a little hurt. Of course no one was here to greet him, he roughly chided himself. Treize and Zechs were not fond of their captivity any more than Wufei was. They were not his friends. As soon as Wufei figured out how to release them, they would be gone without a second glance.

Wufei knew that and yet what a fool he was! Like a little boy he had been excited to tell the two men about his trip to the village and to show them the new clothes he had bought them. He had already imagined their silly banter as they tried on the new cloaks, tunics and leggings. It was all quite pathetic and Wufei told himself he was grateful for the stark reminder of what they really were to each other. He needed to stop daydreaming and focus on returning to his normal life as guardian.

Wufei slid down his horse with a sigh. Nataku fluttered anxiously around him as he began unburdening Shenlong of the many packages tied to her saddle.

"I'm fine," he told the little dragon. "I have you, don't I?" Wufei extended his arm so Nataku could perch on his shoulder. He stroked her iridescent scales. "Ah well, enough of that. Let's get these things inside, shall we?"

Wufei led Shenlong to the stable where he brushed her down and replenished her water and oats before returning to the front of the cottage. He was reaching for the packages he had left there when the door opened and Treize and Zechs whisked them away.

"Huh?" Caught off balance, Wufei stumbled.

"Welcome, home, Elf." Treize beamed. He gestured for Wufei to enter.

Wufei made it just past the threshold where he stopped, stunned.

Treize and Zechs had scrubbed the cottage so clean it almost sparkled. The stone floors were spotless and they had lain down new sweet-smelling rushes. Someone had gathered bundles of dried lavender and a fragrant bunch crackled in the fireplace, filling the cottage with its sharp clean fragrance.

The old rocky table with its one bench had been replaced by a larger sturdier table of beautifully knotted pine. On either side were two long benches which could seat up to six guests. Wufei did not know how they managed it, but Zechs and Treize had patched up the leaks in the roof that had been too high for him to reach. Wufei spun around. He was so preoccupied he had not noticed, but they had even replaced the charred door.

What struck Wufei most though was the wine, rabbit stew and crumbled cheese waiting for him on the table. At the fireplace, a pot of water was bubbling, ready for his bath.

"This ...," Wufei croaked, horrified to find a lump rising in his throat. No one had ever done something like this for him and he had to quickly turn away before Zechs and Treize could see his expression.

"Elf?"

Treize and Zechs came up behind Wufei, their voices uncertain. "Did we do too much?" Zechs asked gruffly. "We did not mean to be presumptuous."

"No it is wonderful." Wufei turned to the guardians once he finally mastered his emotions. "Thank you. Everything is beautiful."

Treize frowned. "You do not seem very happy."

"No ... I'm just not to used to things like this." Wufei was glowering; he blinked rapidly trying to force back the tears that seemed determined to make a fool of him. Maybe it was exhaustion from the trip or the cumulative effect of the emotional turmoil of the past few days but Wufei felt exposed and fragile in a way he had not in years. To his horror, a sob escaped him.

"Excuse me; I forgot something outside," he croaked as he barreled past Treize and Zechs out of the cottage.

Even then he could not escape the irony of the situation. Once outside, Wufei did not know where to go. He had never needed to get away from anyone before since he was always alone. Wufei finally headed to a small clearing not far from the temple. He sank onto the grass. What was happening to him? When had he become so emotional?

Of course, Wufei should have known there was no escaping beings like Treize and Zechs--not ordinarily and certainly not with the connection they now shared. Sure enough, the two guardians materialized beside him within a matter of seconds.

"If we did something to offend you, we prefer if you let us know," Zechs said quietly.

Treize nodded. "If you don't tell us, how can we fix it?"

"It's not you. Everything is fine: the food ... the table ... the door...." Wufei buried his face in his hands. "Gods, it was so much easier being alone. Why couldn't things stay that way? Then I'd never know...."

"Never know what, Elf?" Treize knelt in front of Wufei.

"How lonely I was."

Wufei wrapped his arms around himself. He wished he could go away from this place, wished this burden of duty was no longer his to bear. How could he go back to his old life once he figured out how to free Treize and Zechs? How was he ever going to pretend to be happy when all he could see in front of him was a lifetime of emptiness?

"Oh, Wufei." Treize pulled Wufei into his arms. "Whatever happens in the future, we are here for you now. We are guardians and we are yours. We will protect you no matter what, even if that protection is from your own loneliness."

Treize kissed the top of Wufei's head and Wufei did not protest. The warmth of Treize's body seemed to be the only thing that could ease the knot of pain inside of him. When Zechs captured his palm and kissed the pulse at his wrist, Wufei could only shiver. He had fought this for so long but he was tired of denying the yearning inside of him.

Wufei moaned as Zechs' kisses moved up his arm to the silky skin of his bicep. Was it so wrong to give into what Treize and Zechs were clearly offering? They belonged to him if only for a moment and they wanted him. Was it so wrong to want them too? If he was going to be alone he might as well have some memories to look back on. One day when he was old and his duty on this mountain had ended, he would think on this and remember that his sacrifice meant something. He would be able to say he had protected his people and that once a long long time ago he had been desired. Not for his power, or his heritage or his knowledge, but for himself.

Wufei reached for each of the guardians. He squeezed Treize's and Zechs' hands.

"Please," he said hoarsely. "Make love to me now."

* * *

"Gods, that was amazing," Treize breathed, rolling away from Wufei. His seed was dripping down Wufei's thighs but the younger man was too tired to care. Wufei slumped against Zechs who curled his arms around him. He did not ask Wufei to pull out.

"Are you all right, Elf?" Treize had stretched out next to Zechs on the furs. He reached over to stroke Wufei's cheek.

"Mm," Wufei purred. He was so full of energy he almost expected to see his power haloed around them. Now he understood why most mages used sex to gain energy. Everthing else paled in comparison.

Zechs shifted Wufei and gently disengaged their bodies. "You felt so good inside of me, Wufei. Next time, I will return the favor." As he spoke, Zechs cupped and kneaded Wufei's buttocks. Wufei made a small sound and shivered. Zechs was even larger than Treize. After what he just experienced, Wufei anticipated a very .... challenging time with Zechs.

The fire had burned down to a few crackling embers and in the fading light the sigils on Treize's and Zechs' bodies glowed--proof of their newly forged bond. Lethargy seeped into Wufei's bones but even as his eyelids drooped , his thoughts were awhirl. Tomorrow they would begin preparing for the Fire Festival and Wufei's plan would finally be put to the test.

These past few days had been like a dream with the cottage their own little world. In the guardians' arms Wufei had almost forgotten the magnitude of the challenges ahead of them. There was getting past the Fire Festival, yes, but what about afterward? Wufei had not dared to think beyond that. They were bonded but he could not in good conscience ask Zechs and Treize to stay with him on this mountain after being imprisoned there for so long. There was so much of the world Wufei had never seen, himself. He wanted so badly to run away and leave this life behind him but how could he explain to the Elders that countless of generations of tradition were for naught? How could he tell them that the very foundation of everything they believed was an illusion? No matter how hard he thought about it there was no clear solution. Wufei sighed heavily.

"Elf? Are you all right?" Treize asked.

"I'm fine."

"Then why the big sigh?"

"I'm just tired," Wufei lied.

"Then rest. Tomorrow will come soon enough."

And all his troubles with it, Wufei thought. He closed his eyes and for tonight at least tried to forget.

* * *

**Notes**: 1. The suffix "tzu" means "master" or "teacher"


End file.
